de Oliveira
WHEN THE clock strikes six this evening, the Reggae Boyz will step into the office for business as usual when they meet St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) in a World Cup qualifier.
For five years they have withstood the test of all comers including Central American giants Mexico. This evening, however, they go up against "upstarts" St. Vincent and the Grenadines who, according to defender Dexter Walker, are going to "mash up the office ... tumble up the furniture, mash up the desk and create havoc".
With that in mind, the Reggae Boyz who are three points away from qualifying for the Football Confederation Group of Six playoffs, will have even more determination to dispatch this arrogant bunch - and do so in style. Technical director Clovis de Oliveira, who has the team on a winning streak of six (three friendly games included), is well aware of the significance of tonight's game.
"For each game that we've won, we used to say it's an important game. But one is much, much, much more important because we've won five-in-a-row and this is our sixth game, at home, in front of our supporters. This is the game that is possibly going to decide our qualification to the next stage," de Oliveira said.
"Of course, it depends on the result of the next (between El Salvador and Honduras) game and we will know before we play. That's why everything is in our favour. But one thing, we cannot predict anything. It's going to be hard as you can see how serious we are taking this one.
"After the referee blows the whistle, we can make it easy but until we start the game we're going to come respecting St. Vincent too much, taking it as serious as possible. We're going to focus on the game with all of our effort, with all of our energy," he said.
"I have no doubt that our team is going to play a fantastic game. I am not saying that our team is going to win the game because you have to respect the opponent, you cannot forget them. But what I can guarantee you and the supporters is that our team is going to do a fantastic game with the attitude and the effort inside the team.
Despite the cushion of nine points and three wins, de Oliveira does not believe a victory will come more easily this time around; Jamaica won the first qualifying encounter against SVG 1-0.
"We have to respect them and they are taking the match seriously. As we know they were camping in Florida, they came five days before and they're studying our team, they've got a lot of information about us and they bring all of their foreign players. So it's not easy. And all the time when we play Caribbean against Caribbean it's a very tough one. So we're expecting it to be a very difficult game."
In addition to St. Vincent and the Grenadines being a team from the Caribbean, they are armed with a Jamaican coach, Lennie Taylor.
He expressed no fear of the home team and has said the pressure is on Jamaica to perform in their backyard.
"You (Jamaica) are competing in your home matches ... the pressure is on Jamaica it is not on us. So we are not worried. We are here to play," Taylor said.
"There are no problems playing against Jamaica because we are on par. The problems are playing against Central American teams," Taylor said.
Taylor used the last meeting between the two teams to further drive home his point.
"We matched up well with the Jamaicans, there are no secrets in that. The Caribbean teams match up. Tactically we are on par. The first game showed that. We should have won the game there is no fear in our hearts."
Another reason for Taylor's optimism could be that star striker Rodney Jack, who plays for Crewe Alexandra in the English First Division, was due in the island last night. Jack missed the last game but posed a lot of problems for Jamaica in 1996 before he was taken care of by Ian Goodison.
Teams: Jamaica - Donovan Ricketts, Shavar Thomas, Linval Dixon, Ian Goodison, Steve Malcolm, Tyrone Marshall, Christopher Dawes, Theodore Whitmore, Andy Williams, Onandi Lowe, Walter Boyd or Wolde Harris.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines (from) - Ezra Hendrickson (captain), Melvin Andrews, Urtis Blackett, Cornelius Huggins, Burton Forde, Dexter Walker, Verbin Sutherland, Kendall Velox, Kenlyn Gonsalves, Vincent John, Oscar Nero, Jamal Ballantyne, Alwyn Guy, Marlon Huggins, Julian Charles, James Chewitt Rodney Jack and Wesley Charles.
